Socceroos held to 1-1 draw with South Africa in home farewell match before World Cup campaign in Brazil (ABC)

View Comments ABC Quick equaliser ... Tim Cahill responded immediately to South Africa's opener with a headed leveller.

The Socceroos played out a 1-1 draw with a second-string South Africa at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Monday night in their final match on home soil before departing for the World Cup in Brazil.

Over 50,000 spectators witnessed Australia showing plenty of attacking intent early on, only for the hosts to be caught on the break as Ayanda Patosi side-footed home South Africa's opener against the run of play.

The Socceroos responded immediately as Tim Cahill exploited poor defending to nod home the equaliser less than a minute later.

But Australia failed to make its chances pay as a resilient South Africa created several chances of its own, before closing out a 1-1 draw.

There was an injury worry to trouble coach Ange Postecoglou as right-back Ivan Franjic hobbled off with an ankle injury, while Cahill was subbed off on the hour mark to preserve fitness.

The event was capped off with a farewell to the Socceroos, who are set to cut their World Cup squad from 30 players down to 27, before jetting off to Brazil later this week.

Australian forward Mathew Leckie was at the centre of a number of chances, forcing a rushed clearance from goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in the second half before breaking down the right to lash the ball across the face of goal.

Leckie described the match as a good hit-out, saying the team has some time to work on its finishing and fitness.

He said it was good to be given a chance to dominate possession, but the team will need to take its chances against more illustrious opposition in Brazil.

"South Africa was a good tough team tonight. We had a lot of chances today but the ball just wouldn't go in, and we'll work harder on that for our first game against Chile," he told Grandstand.

"I think it's nice if you've always got the ball and dominating, it's always better in an attacking sense. Hopefully we can take that into the World Cup, try to get the ball a lot and create a lot of chances.

"Hopefully we can be more clinical and put our chances away next time.

"We wanted to keep the ball, play out and be confident. I think we did it [well] at times and [later] we were tired and lacked a bit. It's a mixture of things, trying to keep the ball and also play on the counter-attack.

"We've got a couple more weeks to get some extra fitness. I was feeling it a bit the last 15 minutes, but I think we'll definitely be ready to go against Chile."

Socceroos fade as match wears on after quickfire start

After an encouraging start which saw Australia dominate the opening exchanges, decreasing energy levels saw the match degenerate into a scrappy affair.

Most chances came from scrambles in the box, with Mark Milligan smacking a shot harmlessly wide.

There were worries on the sidelines as Franjic, tipped to be Australia's first-choice right-back in Brazil, hobbled off with an lower-leg complaint after landing awkwardly in an aerial contest.

Ben Halloran, who came on for Cahill, broke down the right wing before playing it short to substitute Dario Vidosic, but the striker's touch was awful and the chance was spurned.

South Africa responded with a shot over the bar by Thulani Caleb Serero, before Halloran responded with a shot straight at the keeper from outside the box.

Oliver Bozanic then saw his header off a Luke Wilkshere cross dip agonisingly wide late on.

Leckie promises World Cup focus

The first half started in fast and furious fashion as the Socceroos opened up the visitors a number of times down the right flank.

But it would be South Africa that opened the scoring against the run of play after Tokelo Rantie created panic in the Australian area, allowing for Patosi to sidefoot home on the 13th minute.

The lead would last mere seconds as Australia fashioned an immediate response, with Cahill nodding in from close range following poor South African defending.

Tommy Oar had enjoyed two sizzling shots from distance beforehand, and Milligan looked to test the keeper from outside the box shortly after Cahill's opener, but the visitors' defence managed to hold firm through to half-time.

With the final match on home soil out of the way, Leckie promised the Socceroos would be working hard to do the fans proud in Brazil.

"This is the big one, the World Cup, we're always focused and working hard," he told Grandstand.

"It's great to come back to Australia and have the fans behind us, and hopefully we'll have a lot watching when we're playing in the World Cup and we can do them proud."

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